Decades after his death, the legacy and contributions of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the sacrifices he made to bring justice to African Americans and to challenge America to live up to its ideals, are being celebrated more than ever before. It’s fair to say that we have done justice to King’s memory. But the truth is America has not done justice to his dream. In fact, I, and the rest of King’s generation, now between the ages of 70 and 85, owe King an apology.

Due to our lack of leadership and accountability, and despite the conspicuous success of a minority of African Americans, we have failed to do what it takes to lead our people to the promised land of freedom, equality, and the full measure of the American dream.

Two months after the assassination of Dr. King, Earl G. Graves Sr. escorts Mrs. Coretta Scott King on June 8th, 1968 to the funeral of Senator Robert F. Kennedy.

King’s dream was about equal opportunity and economic justice for all black Americans, not just an exceptional few. After making progress toward those goals into the late ’80s, we somehow lost our desire to pursue King’s agenda. Ultimately, we simply stopped fighting, as if we no longer believed that what King died for was worth continuing to sacrifice and fight for. And for that, Dr. King, I am sorry. You left us with an example and a challenge to make a better world for our children. And we’ve failed you.

The evidence shows that our failure is as complete as it is indisputable. Nearly 60 years after Brown v. Board of Education, American education remains largely segregated by race, with black children bearing the brunt of failing public schools. We’re failing King in economic justice. Today, the wealth gap between African Americans and white Americans is wider than ever, and black businesses remain largely excluded from economic power centers–from Hollywood and Silicon Valley to Wall Street and Madison Avenue.

The quality of life for African Americans in our urban centers has hardly improved, and in many cases, has worsened, since many urban areas were destroyed by riots in the aftermath of King’s assassination. Sadly, in nearly every area, from healthcare outcomes to high school drop-out rates to entire generations of African Americans trapped in our prison system, the world we’re leaving to our children and grandchildren is no better than the one we inherited.

I was assigned by Sen. Robert Kennedy to assist Coretta Scott King with getting her slain husband’s body from Memphis to Atlanta. I know intimately the ultimate sacrifice that King made–based on the promise of future generations–so that we would have the opportunities that we enjoy today. It’s a promise we have failed to keep.

Our fight for freedom and justice is not over. We have not won. Memorials aside, my generation owes an apology to King for having dropped the baton, for not taking the torch he lit and running with it. Now, it is up to our children and grandchildren to continue the fight to ensure that King’s dream is deferred no longer, and that all African Americans, not just a select, privileged, or fortunate few, reach the promised land of freedom, equality, justice, and opportunity.

]]>5 Ways to Power Up Your Digital Footprinthttps://www.blackenterprise.com/5-ways-to-power-up-your-digital-footprint/
Sun, 20 Jan 2019 19:00:58 +0000http://www.blackenterprise.com/?p=627336Googled yourself lately? What did you notice? Are you satisfied with the impression you leave for those who find you? Are you non-existent? In the article about “Un-Networking…,” I shared the idea of being attractive. A good way to do that is to be intentional about your digital footprint. It might be the most […]

Googled yourself lately? What did you notice? Are you satisfied with the impression you leave for those who find you? Are you non-existent? In the article about “Un-Networking…,” I shared the idea of being attractive. A good way to do that is to be intentional about your digital footprint. It might be the most efficient way to deliver a positive and notable personal brand.

According to Forbes Council contributor Lakisha Greenwade, “Personal branding is the modern-day scorecard that measures a leader’s core message delivery, their professional presence in person and online, and their application of foundational values both in and out of the office. As technology continues to dominate common daily processes, personal branding is ‘the business of people,’ inclusive of perceptions, and proven career leverage.”

In an age where many companies are reducing their workforces to become more agile, people who are unemployed and even happily employed are looking for ways to increase their marketability, and they are turning to social media and digital platforms to do it.

Recently, I spoke in depth with Ted Rubin, chief marketing officer at Photofy, host, and interim CMO at Brand Innovators, about ways to build your personal brand online on The Culture Soup Podcast. He says that it is much easier to do than you think.

Rubin shared a myriad of ways that people can break through the social clutter so recruiters, business colleagues, and potential clients can find you online. Once you have a message that is crisp, focused, and clear, try these five ways to not only improve your digital footprint, but power it up.

5 Ways to Increase Your Digital Footprint

Owning a website or a blog provides an anchor for your digital footprint.

Not a writer? Rubin says to keep it brief, and don’t feel compelled to stick to a 300-400 word criteria. He mentioned that one of the most popular blogs in marketing is penned by Seth Godin. His blogs are classically brief, easy to digest and go. The importance of having a blog or website is that it is something you own and provides a place for your content to live undisturbed. Having your content live on social media sites can be problematic, if the site suddenly shuts down or changes format. Finally, having a permanent presence online helps people to find you better when someone searches for you.

Getting active in the comments raises your profile.

Rubin says there are a few reasons why this works. One reason is that it provides you visibility as you respond to other influential content. It also can be a thought starter for blogs that you want to author. He also says that it is a great way to engage and create community, if you aren’t quite ready to publish your own content.

Sharing useful information for your social community keeps them coming back for more.

It isn’t enough to simply share your selfies, honors, and company news. Keeping your community in mind is paramount. What information is useful to them? What can you share that will enrich their day? Sharing content that people can actually use is important, and it will position you as a go-to on a topic, or even a thought leader.

Syndicating bite-sized content makes your message digestible.

Brevity is your friend in this new digital landscape. People want to get it and go. Social media allows you to syndicate across multiple platforms and still deliver value. A nice, eye-catching graphic, and only a few lines can go a very long way. Rubin mentioned that he even leverages his social community as a resource to refine seedling thoughts before publishing more long-form content. His hashtag #RonR which stands for Return on Relationships began as a seed of a thought that he shared on Twitter after a business meeting. When he saw how it took off, eventually, he wrote a book on it.

Hiding online is very 2002. Being seen is the future.

For those who are trying to keep a low profile on social media, Rubin says, “That’s just dumb.” Why wouldn’t you want business prospects, clients, or recruiters to find you. If you have your settings on LinkedIn set to hide your photo to people who aren’t connected to you, you’re defeating the purpose of social networks. People who may be searching for you, may want to identify that very smart person who just spoke, or shared a great perspective on a topic. Be found. Be seen. It’s ok.

Goodr, a company that previously won the BLACK ENTERPRISE Tech Connext Pitch Competition is continuing to make a footprint in the community. The startup recently partnered with the Atlanta Hawks for a special volunteer service project as part of the Hawks court dedication at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation & Aquatic Center, just in time for MLK day.

Approximately 100 Atlanta seniors were invited to partake in a signature Goodr “Pop-Up Grocery” event, where delicious surplus food from multiple Atlanta grocery partners was available for free.

“In the spirit of Dr. King’s commitment to service, the Hawks are proud to partner with Goodr to provide a pop-up grocery store for seniors at the MLK Recreation and Aquatic Center,” said Andrea Carter, VP of Corporate Social Responsibility & Inclusion. “This added element to our MLK court dedication allows us to serve not only the youth who play on the court, but seniors who often times need additional assistance when living on a fixed income.”

Goodr is a sustainable food surplus management platform that leverages technology to reduce food waste and combat hunger. They have produced a variety of events to distribute surplus food to needy Atlanta locals in creative and uplifting ways, but the “pop-up grocery store” seems to be a fan favorite.

“It’s an honor to be able to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King through the service acts that Goodr performs each and every day,” Jasmine Crowe, CEO, and founder of Goodr told BE. “To be able to partner with the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm is a dream come true for a startup from Atlanta,”

Every product is free to the guests and they range from fresh produce to prepared deli foods to fresh-baked bread. Everything is picked up that day from local vendors and partner stores and brought directly to the event. Each attendee gets their pick regarding what items they want to go home with.

Goodr and Atlanta Hawks for MLK Day (Image: Kat Goduco Photography)

The Hawks have been dedicated to the community as well. Off the court, the organization has built a culture of inclusion, diversity, and innovation, all with a touch of southern hospitality. Their goal is to build bridges through basketball, whether by constructing and refurbishing courts in Atlanta neighborhoods, providing scholarships to our basketball camps, or participating in unique partnership events like this one with Goodr.

]]>Big Apple Milestone: New York City Awards Over $3 Billion in Contracts to Black, Minority Businesseshttps://www.blackenterprise.com/new-york-city-3-billion-black-minority-businesses/
Sat, 19 Jan 2019 17:00:30 +0000http://www.blackenterprise.com/?p=632378Reaching its highest annual level ever, New York City has awarded $3.7 billion in city contracts with minority and women-owned businesses, the office of Mayor Bill de Blasio reports.

That total spending for fiscal 2018 is up from $2.5 billion awarded to those businesses for 2017, and more than double from $1.5 billion in 2015.

Simultaneously, the city expanded its first loan program in February 2018 to allow eligible M/WBEs to now apply for low-interest loans at 3% up to $1 million, an increase from $500,000 when the program was launched in March 2017.

Jonnel Doris, senior adviser and director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) spoke about the city doubling the size of the loan program and how M/WBEs, like all businesses, need working capital to thrive.

“M/WBEs have challenges in the marketplace getting loans, so we instituted this program in getting the resources they need to compete successfully for city contracts,” he says.

The loan program is available to firms that are certified M/WBEs or in the process of M/WBE certification, as well as small entrepreneurs who are competing for city contracts that can’t get financing from conventional sources. Another contributing factor for the gain is a state law passed in 2017, allowing M/WBEs to be awarded contracts up to $150,000 without having to go through a lengthy competitive bidding process to provide the city goods and services.

The city has certified 7,000 businesses in its M/WBE program with a goal certifying 9,000 by the end of this year. Black businesses provide the city with a broad range of services in four industries that consists of goods, construction, professional, and standard services. The standard services category includes janitorial/maintenance as well as automobiles and automotive equipment.

Mayor de Blasio’s office reported in October 2018 the city has awarded over $10 billion to minority and women-owned business enterprises since 2015, hitting the milestone this year. The spending means the nation’s largest city is ahead of schedule of reaching its goal of awarding $20 billion to those firms by 2025.

“To become the fairest big city in America, we need to take steps that allow everyone – regardless of race, gender or ethnicity – to participate in our economy,” Mayor Bill de Blasio announced at the time. “While this is a clear sign of progress, we still have a lot of work to do to continue creating a fairer and more inclusive city.”

The city’s top-performing agencies for awarding M/WBE contracts since 2015 have been the Department of Design and Construction with over $1 billion; Department of Parks and Recreation at $455 million; and Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications at $449 million.

But the city’s contracting activities have not been a cake walk. Mayor de Blasio has taken some bold actions after critics maintained the city was not doing enough to award contracts and boost spending with M/WBE businesses.

Critics bashed de Blasio’s administration for setting unpretentious goals for contracting with those firms. Mayor de Blasio pledged to allot $16 billion in minority contracting over a decade when he took office in 2014.

In October 2018, New York Controller Scott Stringer gave the city a D+ for the fourth straight year on his annual report card grading the government for its contracting work with women and minority-owned businesses, the New York Daily News reported.

Out of a $19.3 billion contracting budget in the fiscal year 2018, just $1 billion was spent in contracts to MWBEs, Stringer’s office said. And while the city has boosted its spending with the firms, more than 80% of the city’s MWBEs are not receiving any business from the city.

Doris from the NYC Mayor’s Office of M/WBEs responded. “We disagree with the Comptroller’s report on the basis that it is inaccurate as it seems to include common sense exemptions like sole source contacts and contracts won by nonprofits which are not businesses and are controlled by boards. That said M/WBE advocates are doing great work in pushing for improvements to the program. In fact, many of them joined us in advocacy to the state legislature that led to the new higher discretionary award amount for NYC M/WBEs.”

A new report from the Alliance for Board Diversity (ABD) and Deloitte, reveals that women and people of color represent 34% of all corporate board seats in Fortune 500 companies—placing board diversity at an all-time high.

-Black men gained 26 board seats in 2018, an increase of 8.5% from 2016.

-Black and Asian women achieved the largest increase in board seats; black women at a 44.8% increase, and Asian women at a 30.8% increase.

-Companies are increasingly re-appointing minority board members to their boards rather than seeking out new directors.

“The increase in boardroom diversity over the last two years is encouraging, but we must not overlook that Caucasian/White men still hold 66% of all Fortune 500 board seats and 91.1% of chairmanships on these boards,” said Linda Akutagawa, chair for the Alliance for Board Diversity and president and CEO, LEAP (Leadership for Asian Pacifics).

“While progress has been achieved, there is still much more work to do,” said Deb DeHaas, vice chairman and national managing partner, Deloitte Center for Board Effectiveness.

‘Wokeness’ in the Boardroom

Corporate America has been responsive to the wave of activism, particularly across social media, in regards to racism, sexism, economic inequality, and various other societal ills. Last year, Nike interjected itself into the heated debate over NFL players kneeling during the national anthem pre-game, to protest police brutality. The athletic apparel company made the symbol of the kneeling movement, Colin Kaepernick, a star in one of its ad campaigns.

The risk of offending customers who disagree with protesting on the field seemed to be worth taking. Nike’s sales increased 31% after the Kaepernick ad backlash.

Recently, Gillette, a Procter & Gamble brand, released an ad in line with the #MeToo movement, urging men to take responsibility for sexist behavior of other men. The ad is inciting both praise and outrage.

It’s not yet known how the controversial ad will affect P&G’s bottom line; the company is set to release its Q2 earnings next week (but so far, Wall Street speculation is favorable).

Burger King is the latest company to wade into political waters after posting a tweet poking fun at a misspelled tweet of Donald Trump’s.

due to a large order placed yesterday, we're all out of hamberders. just serving hamburgers today.

As progress is made, challenges remain. One issue is that most board appointments come from the C-suite level and from the pool of corporate CEOs, in particular. The number of black CEOS at the corporate level has shrunk in recent years. Chenault actually discussed this issue with BE in a recent interview.

“We have a long way to go,” said Chenault. “As I’ve said publicly, I think it’s embarrassing that the number of African American CEOs has actually been reduced from eight years ago. That’s a serious problem. From an African American perspective, we are underrepresented. We can talk all the theories we want. People talk about the complexity of this issue. I know that there are very qualified people. They just haven’t gotten the opportunity.”

While it’s important to celebrate the achievement made in diversifying American corporate boards, there is still the need to build up the pipeline of qualified black executives that can ascend to the C-suite.

]]>Amber Rose is Securing the Bag, Earning $2 Million A Year Off Instagram Alonehttps://www.blackenterprise.com/amber-rose-instagram-van-lathan/
Fri, 18 Jan 2019 19:02:23 +0000http://www.blackenterprise.com/?p=632364In an interview with Van Lathan, Amber Rose claimed that she generates millions of dollars by sharing sponsored posts on Instagram.

Amber Rose, the 35-year-old stripper-turned-model, claims that she nets about $2 million from posting on Instagram. Born Amber Levonchuck, the bi-racial beauty boasts 18.8 million followers on Instagram, where she frequently flaunts beauty, fashion, and diet products. And it turns out that these sponsored posts are helping her rake in major coins.

During an interview on The Red Pill podcast, host Van Lathan asked Rose how much she earns on the social media site. “Probably like $2 million a year, just off Instagram,” she said. “There’s girls that make more than $2 million a year, I make $2 million on Instagram a year.” Rose explained that she generates revenue through “all of her endorsement deals,” which have included companies like online retailer Fashion Nova and controversial weight loss products like BoomBod and Flat Tummy tea.

In response, Lathan joked that “a ni–a went to college and bought into that bulls–t, and Amber’s making $2 million off Instagram. Wow!”

Rose also opened up in the interview about her tough upbringing in Philadelphia, revealing that she initially started selling drugs as a means of survival before she began stripping as a teen.

“I usually don’t tell people this, but I tried selling crack in my neighborhood,” Rose confessed. “They said I was gonna get robbed, I was a girl and I was too pretty, and it wasn’t going to happen,” she said. “So what I did, I would bag it up for them, I would weigh it and bag up the crack rocks for them. And they would throw me some money.”

According to BankRate.com, Rose has amassed a $12 million net worth throughout her career as an author, media personality, music artist, and a former model signed with Ford Models. She also launched her own emoji app that reportedly earned $4 million in 2016. She gained her claim to fame as a video vixen and by dating Kanye West from 2008 to 2010.

In 2016, Rose appeared on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars and became the ambassador for the SlutWalk, an annual women’s empowerment march to combat rape culture. That same year, she has teamed up with Zoobe, a character voice-messaging app that creates 3D characters.

Watch Rose’s interview on The Red Pill below. Her remarks about her Instagram endorsements start around the 1:20:00 mark.

The Louisville International Airport in Kentucky will be renamed after its hometown hero Muhammed Ali. Just a day before the legendary boxer would have turned 77 years old, the Regional Airport Authority board voted on Wednesday to name the airport Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in honor of his legacy, reports the Louisville Courier Journal.

The announcement comes almost two and a half years after Robert Holmes III, an educator from Louisville, launched a grassroots campaign in an effort to rename the airport. Despite receiving an overwhelming number of signatures petitioning for the name change, the idea was initially rejected by Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. However, the mayor sang a different tune Wednesday, stating:

“Muhammad Ali belonged to the world, but he only had one hometown, and fortunately, that is our great city of Louisville,” reported the local publication. “Muhammad became one of the most well-known people to ever walk the Earth and has left a legacy of humanitarianism and athleticism that has inspired billions of people. It is important that we, as a city, further champion The Champ’s legacy,” Fischer continued. “And the airport renaming is a wonderful next step.”

Earlier this month, Black Enterprise reported on the more than yearlong, uphill battle a Kentucky-based educator, Robert Holmes III, has faced in hopes of honoring Muhammad Ali in Louisville, the city where “The People’s Champ” was born and raised. Back in June 2016, Holmes launched the Global Friends of Muhammad Ali, a grassroots effort that is committed to renaming the Louisville International Airport to “Muhammad Ali International Airport.” The group started a petition on Change.org, calling on Ali fans to support an initiative that would pay tribute to the legendary boxer. After being shared on MPowerChange.org, it collected over 14,000 signatures.

Despite receiving an overwhelming number of signatures and even support from members of the Ali family, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer’s spokesperson Chris Poynter told BLACK ENTERPRISE that “there is no active committee looking at the matter of renaming the airport.” He added that the power to change the name lies within the Louisville Regional Airport Authority, which “will ultimately make any decision to rename the airport.” The Louisville Regional Airport Authority, however, also confirmed that it “has no current plans to change the name of Louisville International Airport (SDF).”

In addition, Fischer’s office reached out to BE emphasizing that the city has already paid homage to their hometown hero in a variety of other ways. “Louisville has several major Ali memorials already, including the Muhammad Ali Center (a major institution) and a prominent street named after The Champ. By focusing only on the airport, you leave the impression that the Champ’s hometown isn’t honoring his legacy, which is the furthest from the truth,” said Poynter.

Holmes, however, dismissed the mayor’s response as “a great attempt at a political spin to dodge the question. It’s obvious that Louisville has done things to honor its greatest citizen, but that’s not the [issue].” Holmes added that other cities, like New Orleans, have renamed their airports after superstar natives. “If they can name their airport after Louis Armstrong, who’s a jazz musician, certainly Louisville should be able to coalesce around the idea of renaming the airport.”

According to Holmes, the opposition to rename the airport boils down to the fact that Ali was an outspoken black man who voiced opposition to racism and war.

“I feel that there is a racial component to it and I think that’s one of the reasons why people don’t want to touch it,” he says. “Because he was a very brash, young man in very turbulent times during the 60’s and the early 70’s. He spoke his mind and he stood his ground and he stood up for what he believed in. He stood up against social injustice and racial disparities not only all over the world, but he also spoke about the racial disparities right here in his hometown.” Holmes continued, “There were segments of the white community that did not celebrate Muhammad Ali and you still have that today.”

Although Mayor Fischer’s office told BE that the airport authority will make the ultimate decision to rename the airport, Holmes pointed out that the mayor maintains power to appoint “several members of the board.”

“If he wanted to make that decision, to say that I want to rename this airport in honor of Muhammad Ali, I don’t believe it is that hard,” said Holmes.

]]>Tech Intersections: The Intersectional Tech Conference for ‘Womxn of Color in Computing’https://www.blackenterprise.com/tech-intersections-womxn-color-computing/
Thu, 17 Jan 2019 21:12:30 +0000http://www.blackenterprise.com/?p=632271Tech Intersections, a tech conference for Womxn of Color in Computing, is an affordable conference for underrepresented womxn of color in technology to come together, share ideas, and learn from each other's successes, challenges, and experiences.

As time moves forward, we are seeing more and more diverse platforms take center stage at tech conferences. Well, here is another. Tech Intersections, a tech conference for Womxn of Color in Computing, is an affordable conference for underrepresented womxn of color in technology to come together, share ideas, and learn from each other’s successes, challenges, and experiences. “Womxn” is inclusive of femme/feminine-identifying gender-queer, trans women, and cis-women. The conference will be held at Mills College on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019, and will feature the voices of more than 60 womxn of color.

It was founded by Maira Benjamin, Tiffany Price, Ellen Spertus, and Idalin Bobé, and addresses the needs of underrepresented womxn of color who rarely see a fair and accurate representation of their identities in the workplace, especially in higher ranking positions.

So why the need for this? Existing technology conferences, even those specifically designed for women, often have few underrepresented women in attendance and as speakers, especially as experts on technical topics. Additionally, technology conferences are typically unaffordable, creating a financial barrier to those interested in entering — and growing within — the industry. Tech Intersections addresses these concerns by offering subsidized tickets to individuals who would otherwise miss this unique event.

“This conference is important to womxn of color because we want to come together to claim our rightful place as pioneers in the technology and computing industry,” said Idalin Bobé, founder of TechActivist.Org and co-organizer of the Tech Intersections Conference.

(Image: Tech Intersections)

In addition to providing a home for underrepresented womxn of color, the conference has created the Ally Skills workshop for those who do not identify, but are committed to becoming better allies. The Interactive Ally Skills training will be led by Kim Tran and Willie Jackson of ReadySet Consulting, an Oakland-based firm led by Y-Vonne Hutchinson.

According to a recent release, the 2019 Tech Intersections conference will host over 250 womxn of color and offer 40 sessions, including keynote sessions by Sara Echohawk Pawnee, CEO of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, and the CyberCode Twins, America and Penelope Lopez. Sessions range from technical workshops on open source technology, virtual reality, application security, product design to panel discussions covering topics on how to raise your first million in venture capital, career skills, social impact, and more.

“Mills College is proud to be a platinum sponsor and host of this new conference as part of our ongoing commitment to address the need for diversity in the technology sector,” said Mills President Elizabeth L. Hillman, noting that Mills was the first women’s college to offer a computer science major (way back in 1974).

The conference takes place on Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019, at Lorry I. Lokey School of Business and Public Policy, Mills College: 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, California

The organization is also offering a sliding fee schedule for those who may not be able to afford it, but still want to attend. For more information, click here.

]]>The Government Shutdown May Destroy Many Black Businesses and Budding Entrepreneurshttps://www.blackenterprise.com/black-businesses-government-shutdown/
Thu, 17 Jan 2019 19:34:39 +0000http://www.blackenterprise.com/?p=632276With the U.S. government reaching its longest shutdown ever, black businesses are among scores of American small businesses feeling the sting. One black small business owner, speaking on condition of anonymity, says the shutdown is hurting his business in many ways

With the U.S. government reaching its longest shutdown ever, black businesses are among scores of American small businesses feeling the sting.

The lingering crisis is impacting business on Main Street to Wall Street. Banking powerhouse JPMorgan Chase estimates that the U.S. economy is losing about $1.5 billion weekly due to the shutdown.

The partial government shutdown comes as congressional Democrats, who now make up the majority of the House, refuse to back President Trump’s $ 5.7 billion funding request to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border.

A Black Small Business Owner Shares His Pain

One black small business owner, speaking on condition of anonymity, says the shutdown is hurting his business in many ways. He says with the federal government being his largest customer, his business has lost hundreds of thousands of dollars or 50% of its monthly total revenue since the closure began.

Plus, his Detroit-based company has shipped more than $500,000 in goods to the federal government since early December.

And though he has a purchase order for the goods, he can’t receive payment as there are no federal employees to process the invoice.

This entrepreneur also was forced to lay off 14 employees since late December due to lack of cash flow to meet payroll obligations in January because of lingering problems with the government.

“The shutdown has prevented my company from receiving payment and shipping contracted goods to my largest client,” the business owner said.

Why Black Businesses Suffer More From the Shutdown

Ken Harris, president and CEO of the National Business League (NBL), says no one wins in partisan gridlock. He added that black businesses are suffering the consequences of the government shutdown–affecting their ability to serve their customers, access much-needed capital, and deliver quality services on time.

The NBL is the nation’s oldest trade association for black businesses with 15,000 members.

Harris says some NBL members who are black suppliers to the federal government have been hurt by the shutdown.Those firms include businesses offering professional services, construction, logistics, and facility maintenance services to name a few.

Harris noted black businesses contracting for the federal government won’t be paid until the shutdown ends. He added the opportunity to bid for new business dries up as government employees are furloughed and some contractors potentially start receiving “stop work” orders from agencies.

USBC president and CEO Ron Busby made this statement on the impending government shutdown: “It’s deeply troubling, yet not surprising that President Trump said he would keep the government closed for months or years. It’s these types of antics that create chaos and uncertainty in the marketplace and the small business community.”

Shutdown Also Stymies Black Entrepreneurship and Innovation

The impact of the government shutdown spreads beyond government workers and directly obstructs black entrepreneurship; black federal contractors are faced with not getting paid, and black startups who need business licenses issued by the government are facing unnecessary delays

Another fallout of the shutdown is the inability for small businesses to seek loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The SBA, the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, and several other federal departments provide services crucial to businesses in several industries, including housing, lending, farming, and even craft beer brewing, The Washington Examinerreported.

Harris says black businesses are under-capitalized in terms of access to capital and due to the shutdown, the SBA won’t be processing loans applications, which means companies applying for funding will have to wait until the stalemate ends.

John Arensmeyer, founder and CEO of the Small Business Majority, talked about the shutdown’s impact on small businesses. The national business advocacy group regularly engages with a network of 58,000 small business owners and works with more than 1,000 business groups.

“The ongoing partial federal government shutdown will reportedly cost the United States tens of billions of dollars, and America’s small businesses will be left with a large portion of that bill, Arensmeyer said.

With much of the government shuttered, loan applications sent to the SBA are on hold, small firms that contract with the government are not getting paid and local small businesses that frequently serve federal employees are losing sales.

He added since most small firms have little if any financial safety net, a small dip in earnings can be an existential blow to many businesses

“Unfortunately, even an immediate end to the shutdown would not mitigate the damage already done to many small businesses. Lost revenue will not be recovered in many cases. Still, the longer the shutdown lasts the more small firms will suffer, so we must end this political stunt immediately and fully fund the entire federal government with a clean spending package.”

]]>Why Gillette’s ‘Best Men’ Ad Misses So Badlyhttps://www.blackenterprise.com/gillette-best-men-ad-misses-so-badly/
Thu, 17 Jan 2019 17:12:50 +0000http://www.blackenterprise.com/?p=632252What Gillette’s new ad ultimately shows is that decades of expertise and experience understanding men’s shaving and grooming needs does not translate into an expert understanding of what and who determines the quality of a man.

There is more to solving a complex problem than merely having the right answer. Most of us learned this in Algebra I class in junior high or middle school, when we often knew the right answer to a problem, but couldn’t be more wrong about how to arrive at it. In other words, we knew exactly what our desired outcome was, but had no clue of how to achieve it. This, in a nutshell, is the lesson Gillette is now learning the hard way, and why it’s new ‘We believe: the best a man can be’ commercial fails so miserably. (Disclosure: I use Gillette shaving products.)

The solution Gillette’s commercial promotes is totally on point and correct: Acceptable standards for male behavior can’t change for the better—including rejecting bullying, mindless violence, and sexual harassment—without men pushing and inspiring each other to be ‘the best men can be.’ This message is not emasculating or anti-men, as is being charged by many of its critics, some of who have been angered to the point of declaring a boycott of all products made by Gillette’s parent company, Procter and Gamble.

However, the new ad campaign, which replaces Gillette’s long-time tag line, “the best a man can get,” misses badly in execution with a misguided, oversimplified, and even downright incorrect illustration of the problems it hopes to inspire men to solve—while hopefully picking up a few Gillette shaving products, lest we forget. What Gillette’s new ad ultimately shows is decades of expertise and experience, understanding men’s shaving and grooming needs, does not translate into an expert understanding of what and who determines the quality of a man.

The question of how to define, set, and achieve a healthy standard of manhood has been a preoccupation of mine beginning in early boyhood, when I was repeatedly told, as the oldest male child of a divorced single mother and absent father, that I was expected to be “the man” of the house. Since then, defining and aspiring to excellent manhood has been a common thread of both my personal and professional lives. As a Christian, I’ve always sought to behave as a “godly” man would. Being the best man I could be was also a standard I strove to meet—and often fell short of—as a husband and a father. Modeling healthy, responsible manhood for my three daughters, and teaching it to my only son, remains a critical priority for me even though they are all adults and on their own.

As a veteran journalist, editor, and media professional, I’ve devoted much of my career to celebrating and inspiring excellence in black men, most recently as a co-creator of the BLACK ENTERPRISEBE Modern Man campaign and annual Black Men XCEL Summit. Also, differentiating between merely adult males and grown, healthy manhood is a key tenet of the Grown Zone (GrownZone.com), the relationship education platform I created in partnership with my wife Zara D. Green. In the Grown Zone, I passionately argue that healthy relationships between men and women, including marriages, cannot happen without challenging and changing unhealthy gender-role models and beliefs (such as “men are hunters”).

These are all reasons why I am a vocal supporter of the #MeToo and #MuteRKelly movements, and work proactively to end intimate partner violence; sexual harassment; and the abuse and exploitation of women and girls (as well as men and boys). Furthermore, I believe none of this is possible without teaching and modeling a different, better standard of behavior for future generations (of men, for the sake of this discussion) than what was and is taught and modeled for us by previous and existing ones. Given all this, you would think that I’d be totally aligned with those praising Gillette’s new campaign. However, I can’t, but not necessarily because I agree with its critics. It’s because the campaign, despite its intention, is problematic on a number of fronts, including the following:

Gillette hired a female director for a campaign to tell men they need to step up to hold other men accountable.

I have no doubt that Kim Gehrig, of the UK-based production agency, Somesuch, is more than technically qualified for the job. However, to hire a woman for this particular campaign, to make this particular point, is just tone-deaf, in the same way it is when, for example, an all-white panel is convened to discuss the lack of diversity in an industry. (Believe it or not, this happens at conferences nearly every year.) If this campaign is about men holding other men accountable, then a qualified man should have been hired to direct and deliver that message. If this was just about selling razors, such optics wouldn’t matter. But in this case, it does. Gillette’s failure to recognize this can do nothing, but distract from its well-intended message and provide ammunition to the ad’s critics.

Gillette presents bullying as a male phenomenon.

Anyone who remembers middle school or has seen the film Mean Girls knows bullying, ranging from verbal abuse and physical brawls to tormenting via social media, is not a problem defined by or limited to male behavior. Both boys and girls have been driven to suicide by bullies of both genders. To present masculinity as a root cause of bullying is both wrong and irresponsible.

Gillette presumes that boys learn behaviors such as sexual harassment and other mistreatment of women primarily from their fathers and other men.

However, mothers and other women in a boy’s life play at least as important a role in shaping his behavior and treatment of women. A common example are those women who hold their daughters to a high standard when it comes to their sexual conduct, including admonishing them against promiscuity, while taking pride in how much attention their sons garner from girls and even adult women. In too many cases, when their sons manipulate, mistreat or disrespect women, they are more likely to blame those “fast” girls as they are to teach their sons the standard of sexual restraint and responsibility they expect of their daughters.

The fact is mothers are just as responsible for teaching boys how to treat or mistreat women as men are. And sadly, as illustrated by both the Supreme Court confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh as well as the decades-long abuse saga of singer R Kelly, toxic male behavior is just as likely to be promoted, defended, and justified by women as it is by men. Women are as likely as men to say things like “boys will be boys” or “men need to sow their wild oats.” In fact, I learned what it meant to be a “fast” girl from women, not men. On the other hand, the biggest influences on my becoming a man who views women as people to respectfully relate to, not objects to be used for my pleasure, were my mother and aunts.

The oversimplified and inaccurate messaging about the root causes of bullying and sexual harassment constitute the ad’s biggest failing:

The new Gillette ad feeds into the concept of “toxic masculinity.”

Toxic behavior is not determined by gender any more than it is determined by skin color. Male babies aren’t born sexist any more than white babies are born racist. The common toxic contaminant of human behavior is not gender or race, but unchecked and unequal power and privilege. As the saying goes, power, unchecked by the recognition of and respect for the humanity of others, corrupts. Men are more likely to engage in sexual misconduct because they generally enjoy power and privilege over women — just as white people are more likely to engage in racist misconduct because they generally enjoy power and privilege over non-white people (and adults like Kelly are positioned to exercise power and privilege over children). Women and people of color who find themselves in positions of power are not inherently immune to the temptation to abuse it.

That Gillette’s ad inadvertently gives credence to the idea that masculinity is inherently toxic is its biggest failing, ultimately doing damage (hopefully not irreparable) to its laudable campaign to inspire men to do and be better.

The ideas and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author’s and not necessarily the opinion of Black Enterprise.